Adjustable eyeglasses



Dec. 26, 1950 J. L. ROONEY ADJUSTABLE EYEGLASSES Filed Sept. 22, 1948INVENTOR. J07? L Rooney,

Patented Dec. 26, 1950 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE ADJUSTABLE EYEGLASSESJohn L. Rooney."Chicago, 111. Application September 22, 1948, Serial No.50,573

2 oniins. (c1. ss 4.1

This invention relates to improvements in eyefor purposes of eithernormal or close vision.-

A further object of the invention is to provide upper and lower framesections which are rela tively adjustable in such a manner that theappropriate lens sections carried thereby may be disposedperpendicularly to the lines of normal or horizontal vision and close ordownward vision. The invention also contemplates that'the lens sections,in addition to -being relatively adjustable on horizontal axes, befurther relatively adjustable on vertical axes such as to be adapted foruse by cross-eyed persons.

Another object is to provide eyeglasses having novel upper and lowerframes sections which present no obstruction to the users vision throughthe lenses supported thereby and which may be readily sprung apart tofacilitate lens 'replacement.

Still another object is to provide a novel form of connecting arm forsecuring together the complementary upper and lower frames and lenseswhich arm may be readily adjusted to maintain the lenses in any desiredrelative position and which may be easily detached to facilitate lensreplacement or to permit use of the upper lenses only if desired.

Other and further objects and advantages will :1

be apparent from the following detailed explanation taken in conjunctionwith the accompanying drawings wherein a preferred embodiment of theprinciples of the present invention has been selected forexemplification.

In the drawings:

Fig. 1 is a front elevational view of a pair of eyeglasses co structedin accordance with the present invention;

Fig. 2 is an enlarged front elevational view a,

partly in section of one of the upper frame sections shown in Fig, 1;

Fig. 3 is an enlarged front elevational view partly in section of one ofthe lower frame sec.- tions shown in Fig. 1;

Fig. 4 is a side view of the eyeglasses of Fig. 1 shown as applied to auser but having the frame connecting arm removed better diagrammaticallyto illustrate the lens adjustment feature; and Fig. 5 is an enlargedperspective view partly broken away of a fragment of the frameconnecting arm showing the clip attaching portion thereof.

Referring more particularly to the drawings, whereinlike numerals referto like parts, the eyeglasses shown in Fig. 1 are composed of a pair ofupper frame sections indicated in their entireties at I!) and connectedby a nose piece l2. Each of the frames I ll preferably is formed of anelongated arcuate member l4 having its body portion channelled as shownin section in Fig. 2 to receive a lens and having an inturned lip [6 atone end to retain the lens and an outturned lip [8 at its other endapertured at l9 to secure the usual post for pivotally supporting atemple member 20. The frames ID, as shown, also in- 'clude acomplementary short arcuate member 22 similarly channelled to receivethe lens and.

similarly having an inturned lens retaining lip 24 and an outturned lip26 apertured' at 21 to receive the temple post.

The lower frames indicated in their entireties at 28 are formedpreferably each of a single arcuate member Ei! channelled as shown inFig. 3 to receive the lower lens and having integral inturned lensretaining lips 32. The lower frame members 28 are provided each with adepending post or lug 34, as shown, for a purpose hereinafter to bedescribed. The upper frame members l0 and the lower frames 28 may becon- -veniently constructed of spring metal or the like and are adaptedwhen released from their assembled state to spring apart sufficiently tofacilitate removal and insertion of replacement lenses.

The upper frames II] are adapted to receive upper lenses which may be ofany type suitable to the needs of the user for normal or lon distancevision and which preferably are of a sectional shape correspondingapproximately to the upper two-thirds of the elliptical or circular areaof the entire frame and lens portion of the eyeglasses. Lenses ofthissize and configuration, as best illustrated in Fig. 4, are ample forpurposes of horizontal or normal vision when disposed perpendicularly tothe line thereof, as shown, and allow for the use of other complementarylower lens sections, usually of greater magnification, for downwardvision such as when the user is reading. Such lower lenses 29 aresupported in the lower frames 28 and, as shown, are

of a sectional shape corresponding approximately to the lower one-thirdof the elliptical or circular area of the entire frame and lens portionof the eyeglasses and are ample in size and configuration for the morelimited field of downward vision when disposed perpendicularly to theline thereof, as illustrated in Fig. 4.

For connecting the upper and lower frame sections, I l] and 28respectively, arms 36 are provided one forxeachpomplementary pair tofframes. Each "arm .56 carries at its lower end a collar38 or othersuitable means for engaging the above mentioned post 34 carried by eachof the lower frame members 28 and is preferahlysolderedror otherwisepermanently secured thereto. The upper end of each arm 36 is providedwith a elip member indicated in its entiretyat 4;] which, as best shownin Fig. 5, may comprise a collar portion 42 in which the upper end ofthearm E3'6 is firmly secured and an integral channel shaped portion 44having a depending flange .46. As shown in :Fig. l, :the clips 40 are:adapted :to :snap over (the lips I18 and 26 :.of the upper :frame (sec-"tions H3 and the temple member :posts supported .therein.

Connecting arms :36, :in the formof the-invention illustrated, are so-.constr.ucted that they :may be manually bent or shaped into thecurvature necessar for .theangularlens adjustmentxlesired 'but1at thesame time .the :arms possess :sufficient rigidity that :such shape willbe retained under normal :cGIlditlDIlS of :use so as 'to maintain thelens frames =in:their-selectedzrelative spositions. A material .suitablefor :this purpose is :relatively heavy wire 48 which :may be-encased .in:a-rru'bber rsheathing 50 such as :shown in Fig. 5.

Use of the eyeglasses as .herein described andfillustrated.wilhbemeadily apparent. To insertzthe lenses suited .forpurposes of normal .and close visionof thBsllSBIj, the zclips' lll of:the nonnecting .arms :36 are disengaged from :the lateral :pmjections 18 and '26 of the :upper frame members :I 0 whereby to permit the-,arouate sections 414 and 22 of the upper frame members "which .:are(.8011- mecited by :temple posts and 'the lower frame members 23 tospring slightly :apart. The stWO thirds :lenses I are then tpcsitionedin ;the =:chan- :nelled portion of the .sections 1.4 :and "22 of'ztheupper frame members and the one-third lenses :29 positioned in the:channelled portion of athe lower frame members :28 whereupon zthe :clip140 of the -'conneoting arm .36 is positioned as shown .in Fig. 1to-secure-the iframelmembers and lenses in assembled :operativerelationship.

In .use, the upper lenses :lrl ordinarily zareisup- :ported. in a planeperpendicular to'the horizontal or normal line of vision, as illustratedin Fig. 4. By appropriately bending connecting arms 36, the lower framemembers 28 carried thereby may be caused to assume any desired angularposition relative to the upper frame members. Usually, the lower framemembers will be positioned, as further illustrated in Fig. 4, to supportthe lower lenses 29 in a plane perpendicular to the line of downwardvision ordinarily employed when the user, is :reading and lenses of.this :particular "characterare'required. "In addition to adjusting thelenses 29 on their horizontal axes, the conmecting arms 36 are adaptedto be slightly twistazd toadjust the lenses 29 on their vertical axeswhere this is desired such as for cross-eyed users.

Various other specific uses and adaptations of the :eyeglassesofthepresent invention will be readily apparent to meet particular needs ofusers.

isunderstood that the present invention is not limited to the preciseconstruction and arzrrangement {of ;parts herein shown and described.dmt-zembraces z-allzmodifications thereof within the sSllODB pf fthe:following :claims.

Having described ;.my :invention, what ;I claim is;

J..T:Eyeglasses momprising a "pair of normally :subtantiall-y ,aplanarllenses, separate 'upper and lower sections forming .said lenses,separate frames for said :upper and lower sections, .and:connectingmeansisecured to adjacent upper and llower "frames .forsupporting said lower sections :for zangularzmovementrelative "tOSaldupper sec- "10115.

2. The eyeglasses of claim 1 wherein the =eonnesting 311188118:iiszseoured between a "lateral por- -;tion :of the upper iframe andtime lower medial portion :of the :l'oweriframe.

JOHN :L. RODNEY.

REEERENGES CITED "I-he "followingu'eferences are of record in the 'file:of this patent:

UNITED .S'IATES EA'I'lilhT'IfS Number Name .Date

17.0395 Yieiser Dec. 7,1875 :956g690 .zDonaldson "May 3, 1910 LO- 4,145Waits :Sept. "30, 19.13

1,429,854 Elmore vSept. :19, 1 922 Il;'90;9;285 :Iranders .?May I6, 19331,988,646 Dirr Jan. 22,1935

FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 324,532 Great Britain Jan-30, 1930846,221 (France June 5, .1939

